Kieran Trippier opens up on why he left Spurs for Atlético Madrid | OneFootball

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Dan Burke·3 September 2019

Kieran Trippier opens up on why he left Spurs for Atlético Madrid

Article image:Kieran Trippier opens up on why he left Spurs for Atlético Madrid

Kieran Trippier believes Tottenham will regret selling him and has revealed chairman Daniel Levy gave him the cold shoulder prior to his move to Atlético Madrid.

Trippier made a surprise £20m switch to Atlético this summer after enduring an underwhelming 2018/19 campaign at Spurs.


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And though the England right-back admits he had a poor season, he feels the Lilywhites gave up on him too hastily.

Article image:Kieran Trippier opens up on why he left Spurs for Atlético Madrid

“The whole season I had no excuses,” Trippier told Goal.

“My (bad) performances started after Christmas because I thought I had an okay first-half of the season if I’m honest, but then it was just like a car crash. It just went ‘bang’, things weren’t going my way. I wasn’t playing well.

“I heard rumours about them selling me and it’s not nice but it happens and it’s football.

“[Mauricio Pochettino] didn’t say he wanted to move me on. I tried to speak to the chairman about it.

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“I spoke to the manager about his plans and I didn’t get a yes and I didn’t get a no. So you get the impression.

“It’s disappointing. I gave everything for the club and I wanted to stay, I had another couple of years left, but everything happens for a reason.

“Me and the manager didn’t leave on bad terms, he has done a lot for me and I respect him highly. It is just a few things, I tried to speak to the chairman I just didn’t really get an answer.”

The 28-year-old was arguably England’s best player at the 2018 World Cup and he is now eager to put his poor patch behind him at his new club, where he has played the full 90 minutes in each of the first three matches of the new LaLiga season.

“We all did so well at the World Cup but I didn’t have the best season after,” Trippier added.

“It wasn’t an easy decision. I love the Premier League but I’m in LaLiga now and loving it.

“I set the bar high at the World Cup and they knew how well I could do but I just feel that Tottenham probably got rid of me at the wrong time because I just needed that four-week rest for recovery because I was struggling with injuries to come back, fresh, ready.

“So maybe I could have stayed, but I’ve got no regrets.”